Mumbai-Goa cruise to begin from August 1: Nitin Gadkari

Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari today said Mumbai-Goa cruise will start from the beginning of the next month, with an aim to boost tourism. Besides, he said, two floating restaurants will come up in Mumbai. "The first cruise between Mumbai and Goa having capacity of 500 people would start from August 1," he added. Gadkari also said that the ministry has asked all ports to set up cruise terminal.

The government has to decided to provide Rs 800 crore Shipping Corporation of India for purchasing boats, he said. "We are already going to complete 10 waterways," the minister said. India will soon come out with a policy to scrap commercial vehicles that are more than 15 years old, Gadkari said. The policy aims at curbing rising vehicular pollution in the country.

Gadkari said the plan is afoot to make Kandla automobile cluster and make India automobile hub. "Raw material for vehicles will be cheap ... Plastic, rubber, aluminium and copper - all generated from scrap will be used for autopart generation besides other things," the minister said.